LIVERPOOL vs Newcastle United so often equals chaos and so it proved yet again. Six goals, two more disallowed, a missed penalty, a scored penalty and eight yellow cards.

At the end of a breathless encounter, Liverpool came out on top, as is so often the case when these sides meet at Anfield. And they deserved it. Of the game’s 37 shots, 32 came from the home side.

How do you start to assess this game from a Newcastle perspective? They could have conceded double the four Liverpool managed to score and yet they’ll also feel – somehow – that they could have left Anfield with something to show for their efforts. At 1-1, the game was in the balance.

That Newcastle’s best player by far was Martin Dubravka says a lot. Rarely will a goalkeeper play so well and concede four goals. If Eddie Howe was planning to sign a goalkeeper this month, perhaps this was a night and performance that will force him into a rethink. But there’s no doubt a midfielder remains the priority. Again, the Magpies lacked control in a game in which they so desperately needed it.

Remarkably, all of the game’s six goals came after the break. Mo Salah’s opener was cancelled out by Alexander Isak and Newcastle had a counter attacking threat and hope. But Liverpool had a stacked bench. One substitute Diogo Jota teed up a second Liverpool goal before another Cody Gakpo scored a third. Sven Botman gave the Magpies hope with a late header but Salah wrapped up the points from the spot, making amends for a missed first half penalty.

A year ago tomorrow, Newcastle ground out a hard-fought draw at then-leaders Arsenal that left Howe’s side sitting pretty in third, looking down on Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool below them. As much as the Magpies couldn’t have envisaged being in that position then, the same can be said of where they find themselves now, eighth and 10 points shy of the top four.

Not since 1994 have Newcastle won at Anfield and bringing that rotten recent Anfield record to an end always felt unlikely on Monday night. The contrasting form and fortunes of both sides meant it would inevitably only end one way if United went toe to toe with Liverpool, as they did at St James’ Park earlier this season. What was the alternative? Stifle and frustrate? The Magpies surely lack the midfield steel and control to attempt a repeat of Manchester United’s recent approach.

Howe will have hoped a new year would bring a change of fortunes but that certainly wasn’t the case on the injury front. United were rocked by two fresh blows in the build-up to the Anfield trip, with Kieran Trippier dropping out of the XI and missing from the squad with a groin injury and Callum Wilson absent with a hamstring problem.

Other than a Lewis Miley chance, it was all one-way traffic early on. Indeed, it took the Magpies more than six minutes to get out of their own half.

That they got to the half hour stage still goalless was a combination of good fortune and excellent goalkeeping. The game was less than two minutes old when Trent Alexander-Arnold had a shot from the edge of the area deflected just wide. Liverpool’s blistering start was a sign of things to come for Newcastle.

There was a fine save from Dubravka to deny Nunez from close range before Schar blocked Curtis Jones’ rebound. The hosts did have the ball in the net through Luis Diaz just before the 20-minute mark but the Magpies were saved by the knee of Darwin Nunez that was marginally closer to the away goal than Dan Burn’s and the goal was chalked off after a VAR check. The relief was short lived. Just seconds later, Diaz was again alive in the box and went down under the challenge of Botman. Up stepped Salah but down went Dubravka to his left, saving superbly. He was at it again 10 minutes before the interval, this time denying Nunez after the striker robbed Botman of the ball but lacked composure.

After the constant barrage of Liverpool attacks came small signs of Newcastle promise. A fine counter ended with Burn heading home at the far post but the defender was marginally offside. It was frustrating but a flash of hope and Newcastle were starting to get a bit of control. Referee Anthony Taylor, meanwhile, was losing it. He flashes three yellow cards in as many minutes at the end of the first half.

After doing so well to survive the first half onslaught, Newcastle were undone by a clinical Liverpool counter just four minutes into the second half. Liverpool stormed through a gaping hole in the middle, Diaz picked out Nunez who selflessly squared for Salah to tap home. That Liverpool didn’t quickly add to their advantage was again down to the brilliance of Dubravka, whose hands were stung by a fierce Nunez strike.

Howe turned to his bench, introduced Miguel Almiron for Miley and shifted Anthony Gordon from the right to the left. And the change paid dividends immediately. Gordon – quiet in the first half – cut inside and picked out Isak with a perfectly timed and weighted through-ball. Isak showed the composure that Nunez lacked at the other end and found the bottom corner.

Klopp’s weapons from the bench won the game for Liverpool. Jota latched on to a Salah pass and squared for Jones to tap in before fellow substitute Gakpo added a third. Botman’s header gave Newcastle hope but in committing bodies in search of an unlikely equaliser they left themselves exposed and Jota was fouled by Dubravka in the box. Salah went the other way to his first penalty.